From the Ashes
by Crimson Rose Moon
Summary: Once lovers and comrades in battle. It was their friendship that spanned centuries, untouched by time. The death of his mate brought her to him. Will he take her hand or spurn their friendship and past? *alternate modern universe setting*


The hellish flames had long burnt the once immaculate villa to the ground. All that was left was piles of burnt wood, shattered glass, blackened wood beams and the occasional small furnishing that had somehow managed to escape the intense flames. It wasn't by chance that this fire happened and he knew who had be the cause of all her pain.

Sharp golden eyes surveyed the blackened wood piles swiftly, hoping beyond life itself that there was even a minuscule sign of her left, that he could rescue. The ache in his heart had now doubled as he crossed the threshold that had once been their foyer. He knew that there would be nothing in this part of the house, due to his love's tendency to hole herself in the back of the house. Her study, where she would spend hours upon hours painting is where she would have been. It had the best view in the house where she could see the rolling hills of their countryside home. He could spend his days watching the innocence she possessed rolling off her in waves when she was painting. And by the time she would notice his presence, she would turn to him with love and trust in her eyes that were only for him alone. It soothed him in ways that had never been done before in his wretched long life.

The urgency he felt quickened his steps to reach her, even though he could feel the hollow space that rested near his heart, that used to house her heartbeat alongside his own. He felt the loss of it and knew but refused to accept that her light that shone so brightly next to his own dark and black soul was no longer there. Hadn't been there for hours. Easily jumping over fallen beams, he reached where her study would, should be. It was part of the house that wasn't as heavily burned but still faired better than the rest of their home.

The smell of burnt wood lingered in the air heavily drowning out every other smell that would help him find her faster. Reaching quickly into the piles of wood, hoping to find something, anything of her. The stark difference of his once alabaster skin becoming charcoal grey was ignored. So focused was he in his task, the sounds of the world no longer reached his elfin ears. His mouth, already extremely dry, seemed to dry even further when his clawed hand ran along a smooth surface. Hastening his efforts, he quickly uncovered the remains of her that had rested underneath a tapestry. The smell of charred flesh quickly overcame the smell of burnt wood as he lifted it off her. As he stared at her body, his eyes took in everything. Focusing on the spider carved into her chest that was still visible despite what the flames had done to her. Further proving the dark magic that had been involved and confirming who was the cause of this crime against her.

Dropping to his knees, Sesshomaru couldn't stop himself as he felt the moisture leave his eyes. How was it possible to even produce them? Considering how parched he felt, it was a miracle that this was even happening. He couldn't bring himself to touch her skin, even more afraid that the slightest touch would show the reality of the situation. But he didn't stop himself from imagining the once flowing locks of chocolate colored hair or that she had probably been wearing the amber colored kimono made from youkai silk he had given her as their wedding present many years ago. Or her stunning smile she'd give him when she would wear it, he could practically hear her say "Because it's the color of the eyes that I love so much!" While giggling happily as he would scoop her into his arms and carry her to their room where they would spend most of their day loving one another.

CEO of Taisho Inc, a youkai who controlled 67% of the drug and arms dealing of Japan, former blood thirsty Western Lord of feudal Japan. Was crying over the loss of his human. The irony of it all was that the one person he spent his life trying to shield from the evils of his life and the one person who had only deserved the kindness of the world had suffered insurmountable pain, he was sure. He arrived too late to their home, he couldn't reach her at the time that she needed him most. Failure towards the one who never failed him. But death didn't discriminate and occasionally death was a harsh mistress, taking whomever and whatever she pleased with no remorse to those left behind. Leaving many who yearned to have back what was taken.

A fool is what he was. For thinking to love someone who should have never known this life. Ruining her chances of having something normal and safe. Oh but how she fought him on that. A small smile slowly cracked it's way to his lips, as he thought of the only times that his love could be a vicious wild cat. She never let him speak of how she should leave him and find a normal man that could give her the normal life that most desired. She never let him hear the end of it if he brought it up, which he did, often. Clenching his claws, he relished the feeling as they pierced his skin. The warmth and thickness of his blood flowed heavily as it dripped to the ground. He deserved all the pain and suffering. So deep in his thoughts, he didn't hear the soft steps of the other person till they were upon him.

The chains that bound his beast rattled as his heart squeezed painfully. Once golden eyes becoming slits of purple and pink. Clenching his fist till his claws repierced his skin as it had mended his flesh, his life blood steadily flowing once more. He could feel his beast calling for another to save and console him.

"Sesshomaru." A soft melodic voice called out to him. The smell of jasmine and honeysuckle strangely covered the smell of burnt wood and charred body. A smell distinctly her own and one that had transcended time with him. Dispersing gently and overflowing sweetly. Bringing back memories of a time that was simpler. It made him sick, how comforted he was by her scent. He didn't deserve to be comforted. Not now, not ever. All he should be allowed to feel was pain and anger. In that moment he hated her for it.

"Leave, you do not belong here." When did his voice become so hoarse to his own ears? But the spiteful intention was still there as he refused to draw his eyes away from what remained of his mate. Even though his beast wanted this female here, he wanted to deny it. Deny the comfort. Deny himself the sense of peace. A whine slipped past his lips.

Her footsteps brought her closer, till she was just behind him. If he turned around to see her, he knew he would see a black pantsuit clad female with sky high heels, her trademark look. Her typical fierce expression would be darkened with grief, rage and memories of her own pain. Stormy grey eyes would become a sad muted blue. He knew because he had known those eyes for almost a 1,000 years when he had first encountered her. But Sesshomaru refused to see the sympathy and friendship that he knew she would offer to him. Out of everyone in world, she was the only one who would understand his pain. The only one who could understand the anger and frustration of failing your mate.

A soft sigh, reached his ears. "People like us, Sesshomaru, with souls as black as ours, attempt to cherish and protect those who are pure. We crave their light and love more than anything. We need it to survive. But we don't deserve them and we can't protect them from our world. Im sorry you had to find out the same way...that I did. We know that life is bittersweet in that way. Especially for those like us. Although if we had been given a second chance and end up where we are now, would we choose the same path?"

Sesshomaru knew the answer to her question immediately. He knew he would've chosen Rin, even if she were only in his life for a fleeting moment. She had changed him. While he still had many enemies that spanned centuries. That didn't matter. He was a selfish being and what he wanted, he fought to have.

Careful hands threaded into his soot covered hair slowly, attempting to bring peace to his soul. An effort that he would have thanked her for, but it brought him deeper into despair. She knew what his heart was going through. After all the same person who had caused the death of his love, had brought a gruesome end to hers no more than 340 years ago. The similarities were uncanny.

Slowly the soothing hands slipped from his hair, he almost let loose another whine but refrained. She joined him, sitting seiza. Bowing deep in front of Rin's charred remains. Paying no attention to how she sullied her clothes. Sesshomaru could only watch as she was elegant in even this, the haze in his mind clearing more as he watched Kagome pay her respects to his beloved. Not even realizing that he had stopped staring at the spider that was carved into Rin's flesh.

"Rin-chan, you gave my hopeless friend endless love and laughter, changing him from that cold hearted male he used to be. You accomplished what I had abandoned and for that I am grateful. You are the endless sun in his heart. If you would allow me to become the moon in his heart, I will cherish and preserve your light with my own. Never will I take your place but be there when he will begin to struggle to remember your light. In time, I hope to love him as you did as I hope he will love me the way that Taisa loved me. Love is power and never a weakness. You and Taisa taught us that." Kagome finished softly, with a small smile on her face as her eyes clouded with memories, of which Sesshomaru had no doubt that there were filled with Taisa. Kagome's human that had been murdered in the same way Rin was, 340 years ago.

They had once been a terrifying duo in feudal Japan, bloodthirsty, arrogant and hungry to conquer the land. With his power as a inu daiyoukai and Kagome being an elemental, one of the last of her kind, they had been unstoppable. They had almost succeeded in their endeavors until Kagome had disappeared for almost a year, leaving no trace of her scent or power. Sesshomaru had been determined to find her, wanting her by his side so he had searched endlessly. Putting aside his need for conquest. Wanting to find his partner and friend of 500 years. It hadn't been till he was on his 7th month of her missing that he had realized that Kagome didn't want to be found. He had felt a pain shoot through his chest, one that was uncommon in someone like him. But it had shocked him to his core when she had come back to him, mated to a human healer.

Kagome had changed, she had become softer in ways that he never realized. Her smiles which had been spiteful and full of malice, became kind and loving. She only had eyes for Taisa. Sesshomaru knew he had lost her to someone that had made her better in ways he couldn't. She had become tired of their lifestyle and in doing so, he spared her one look of longing as she stood there in front of her human mate ready to defend Taisa against him. He left them standing there and didn't see them till rumors of her mate being murdered had reached his elfin ears.

Kagome had been in the same position as he was now. But instead of him comforting her in the same way she was comforting him, she had looked at him with soulless eyes, half crazed with loss. Before her beast had taken over and demolished everything in its path. The land became scorched with her anger and pain. Watching her righteous fury had almost been exhilarating, till Sesshomaru had remembered how vastly different this Kagome was compared to Taisa's Kagome. It had taken days of battling for her to finally submit. Just to have her disappear from his sight once more, after she swore she would never again use her powers. Since they had failed her to protect what was hers.

Throughout the years, she had come and gone from his life. Never staying long enough to change what they had. And it hadn't been till Rin showed up in his life that Kagome had begun to come around more often. He had often assumed that Rin reminded her of Taisa and so Kagome had welcomed her with open arms. But how Kagome had loved Rin and it had meant more to him because of that. While Rin has healed him, there was no doubt she had also healed Kagome. Now, Kagome was here for him as he had been there for her.

Both lost in their thoughts of happier times, they were unwilling to break the comforting silence that had spread.

"She loved wildflowers most. She deserves to rest with them for all of time, don't you agree Sesshomaru?"

Inhaling deeply, He agreed. "Would you do this for her?" For me? The unspoken words and their meaning were not lost on Kagome.

Saddened blue eyes met his dull gold. "Always. For her and you. I love you both." As she dug her hands into the earth, he felt the prickling coolness of her youki, the familiarity resonated with his own, as it became unbound. Watching the tendrils wrap Rin tenderly in its embrace and as it slowly covered his own body, holding him as well.

As the power thrummed off her body, the land pulsed back. Becoming in sync with the power of an elemental. A surge of Kagome's power poured into the earth coaxing it to do her bidding. Sesshomaru watched as the earth took over the ruins of his home. Trees grew around what had been the perimeter, where walls had once stood. Wisteria filled the air with its sweet smell. Grass grew over the blackened land and finally to wait over Rin's body.

Thousands of moonflowers began to grow, their leaves overlapping, as if they were shielding and protecting Rin. The flowers blooming and releasing the scent that was so similar to Rin's, it helped calm his beast more. Yet it did not replace the emptiness in his heart.

As the land healed itself and covered Rin in blooming flowers, Kagome continued to pour her Youki into the earth. Forever marking this land as her territory and none should venture. Removing her hand from the ground, she gently took Sesshomaru's hand in her own. His eyes meeting hers, questioning Kagome with his eyes.

"Pour your own power here as well. Both of our youki and the land will forever protect Rin and none would dare disturb her rest. She deserves so much more but I can give her eternal rest in flowers. Which I hope she'll appreciate." Kagome spoke as she guided his hand to the hole in the ground where her hand was minutes ago. Letting go once he began to feed his as much of his own youki into the ground. Focusing on his task to give Rin as much as he could with little care to his own life.

"Enough. It is enough." Kagome pulled his hand from the earth, holding it between hers. Rubbing soothing circles along his palm. "Live for her, you know that is what she would want. As I have lived for Taisa, do the same for your beloved." Bringing his hand to her face, Kagome held it to her cheek. Nuzzling against it softly as tears spilled from her eyes.

Sesshomaru felt the finality of the void in his soul, his beast crying out but it wasn't broken. He knew that while his beast had adored their Rin, the beast had always chose Kagome. It changed nothing, if he couldn't protect his mate, he deserved to have no one.

"Leave me, Kagome. This is done." Removing his hand from her face he turned away from her. "I deserve no pity or coddling from you. It is un needed." The earth began to shake under him as the cool heat of her youki began to burn. Eyes meeting hers, he was taken aback by her glowing red eyes.

"Ungrateful whelp. The same creature that killed your Love was the same that killed mine. You already know who it is I speak of." Kagome growled out. "This pitiless male in front of me, who is he? I have no recollection of him. You saved me all those centuries ago and now I will do the same. I will be your blade and shield. Your fire and brimstone as we rain fury on the Spider for his transgressions. Rin was yours but she was also mine. I will not let him take you from me too. We have lost too much to his cruelty."

He watched as Kagome stood and dusted off her pants. She closed her red eyes and let out a calming breath before opening them once more. Her eyes meeting his with haughtiness . Sesshomaru could feel the draw to force her to learn her place.

"Will you let him win, as I did. Or will you rise from these ashes and conquer this world with me once more?"

His golden eyes gave her the answer she knew would never leave his lips.


End file.
